Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity invites law firms, attorneys and
other legal professionals to join together and partner with families
living in substandard housing to build safe, decent and affordable
homes and to make the dream of homeownership a reality.
Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s goal is to build 14 houses during the fiscal year 2005-2006. We plan to build 80 homes during the next five years and acquire 100 additional building lots for the following five years.
Our vision is for law firms, attorneys, associates, interns, and other legal professional staff to sponsor the building of one or more of these houses each year by funding the cost of materials and contributing some of the volunteer labor needed to construct these houses. The cost to sponsor a Habitat house is $55,000.
Lack of affordable housing in Buncombe County is identified as one of our community’s most serious problems by many diverse sources, including the City of Asheville’s Community Development Department, the Department of Social Services, and the Chamber of Commerce. According to the NC Housing Coalition, over 9,000 families in the county are renters and pay over 30% of their income for housing. Low-income families suffer the most. The coalition estimates that there are over 1,700 substandard housing units in the county. The national Center for Housing Policy identifies Buncombe County as one of the nation’s counties where even licensed practical nurses, police officers, and retail and janitorial workers cannot afford to buy a median-priced home due to the disparity between incomes and housing costs.
Firms and individuals can participate at different levels and in different ways:
- An Individual Pledge
- A Team of Individuals
- A Company Pledge
- An Individual Pledge that includes your Firm’s Matching Funds
Demonstration of the role your firm plays in improving our community
Team building work day opportunities
PR/Media opportunities
Recognition at events
Promotion of the values of homeownership
Tax deductible contributions
You can start by making a pledge to raise funds. If you have questions or if you wish to arrange individual or team building volunteer opportunities, call or email
Jim Lowder, our Director of Development at (828) 251-5702.
